The Jacksonville Jaguars

[Bridges]

You don't understand how the top 2 spots are most desirable trade positions for QB needy teams?  And the trade value of a 3rd pic is significantly less?

[pierre]

You don't understand how the top 2 spots are most desirable trade positions for QB needy teams?  And the trade value of a 3rd pic is significantly less?

It wasn't last year

[Bridges]

You know that players of varying talent levels come out every year, right?  Some years no QBs are top 10 picks.  Some years there are 3 top ten talent QBs.

And rarely, just rarely, you have the two best players in the draft at the QB position. 

[Downtown Osprey]

I actually definitely think we need help on the DL. It's a little on the older side and we still don't have that DOMINATE Defensive End i.e. a Tony Brackens type of player. I don't think Andre Branch is the answer. I would go with someone like the kid from USC or Dante Fowler who can play all over the line, total chaos type of player.

[I-10east]

Justin Blackmon sold his home in Queen's Harbour.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=544554

[I-10east]

Sen' Derrick Marks said that the Pro Bowl balloting is BS if he doesn't make it, and he's right. He's currently ranked 13th among DTs, so unless something unforeseen happens, it looks like Marks isn't gonna make it. What a joke, they should rename it the 'Popularity Bowl'.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/12/22/senderrick-marks-pro-bowl-balloting-is-bs-if-i-dont-make-it/

[WarDamJagFan]

Justin Blackmon sold his home in Queen's Harbour.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=544554

He's been suspended without pay for over a year now. I'm sure his rehab sessions aren't cheap either.

[pierre]

You know that players of varying talent levels come out every year, right?  Some years no QBs are top 10 picks.  Some years there are 3 top ten talent QBs.

And rarely, just rarely, you have the two best players in the draft at the QB position.

And it is likely not the case this year either.

[Gators312]

I agree with Wacca about the DL being a bit long in the tooth.   The Williams kid from USC can play several down positions on the line.  Tony Boselli thinks highly of him, so if a former OL is willing to give a DL some credit that says a lot.     

[I-10east]

Catch two potential Jaguars first-round picks (Randy Gregory and Leonard Williams) in the Holiday Bowl.

http://espn.go.com/blog/jacksonville-jaguars/post/_/id/10552/catch-two-potential-jags-first-round-picks-in-holiday-bowl

[I-10east]

Jaguars president Mark Lamping says local revenue is up despite tough year on field

The Jaguars' bottom line is more impressive than their record this season.

As the Jaguars prepare for their final game of the season at Houston on Sunday with a 3-12 record, team president Mark Lamping said that local revenue will be up at least 10 percent this year.

Lamping, who said he will have the exact figures for the annual state of the team presentation in February, said the increase comes from more ticket sales, premium seats such as the cabanas and an increase in sponsorship revenue.

"Local revenue is growing very well," he said. "We've also had some very significant growth on the sponsorship side."

Lamping said it's too early to tell if the increase will move the Jaguars up a few spots from their current position near the bottom of the league in local revenue.

"We don't operate in a vacuum," he said. "All the other teams are working hard to generate revenue as well."

The only team that releases its revenue figures is the Green Bay Packers, who announced they had $324.1 million in total revenue last year.

By contrast, Forbes estimated the Jaguars had $263 million in revenue. The difference is the Packers generated $136.3 million in local revenue, and the Jaguars were in the $75 million range, if the Forbes figures are correct. Lamping declined to reveal exact figures.

Because all teams make similar to the $187.7 million in national revenue the Packers announced, local revenue is the difference between the high revenue and low revenue teams. Forbes estimates the Cowboys lead the league with more than $500 million in revenue.

Lamping is also encouraged that the Jaguars are ranking in the top of the league in the categories of fan experience that the NFL tracks and that several teams — not only in football — are checking out how they've improved the fan experience.

Executives from the Minnesota Vikings were at the Thursday night game against the Titans to see how the Jaguars use their new video boards to connect with the fans.

"What they want to see if how we've been able to change the in-game experience so drastically in such a short amount of time" Lamping said. "I think what it shows is that it says those of us that are fans of the Jaguars and those of us who are fortunate enough to work for the Jaguars, we have something to be proud of. It's a much better atmosphere in the stadium this year than last year.

"The stadium looks better, and it's more conducive to presenting a high quality game experience which is uniquely different than the experience you had if you stayed at home and watched on TV. That's all good. That gets us excited. Just imagine what they'll be feeling if we can actually start winning football games. That's the most important thing we can do to improve our fan experience is to play better."

FOCUS ON REVENUE

Lamping will continue to put a lot of emphasis on ways to generate more local revenue.

"We've made great progress,'' he said, "but we still have a long ways to go."

Lamping said the Jaguars will continue with plans to make additional improvements in the stadium. The next project is a $20 million renovation of the club seats areas that will reduce the number from 11,000 seats to 8,000, but add more amenities.

And they will continue trying to find ways to sell more season tickets.

"In order to have sellouts week after week, the NFL finds that teams have to renew their season tickets at a rate of at least 90 percent and that the season ticket sales account for at least 80 percent of total capacity," Lamping said. "That's not Jacksonville. I don't know the last time Jacksonville had a 90 percent renewal rate. We're always having to sell new tickets to replace the percentage of fans that leave. Some of that is because of the transient nature of this market. One of the reasons is that the military is such an integral part of the community [and active duty personnel tend to get transferred frequently]."

The Jaguars renewed about 83 percent last year, and their season-ticket total of about 45,000 was less than 70 percent of capacity.

In order to increase sales this year, the Jaguars started their renewal program in early December instead of waiting until after the season ended and added more prizes for season-ticket holders, in addition to their Jaguars 365 program that provides year-round benefits.

Among the prizes this year will be Super Bowl tickets, a flat-screen TV, NFL draft trip and suites for Jaguars home games.

Team officials are also placing more emphasis on first-year season-ticket holders.

"Traditionally, the longer you hold season tickets, the more likely you are to renew them," Lamping said. "The opposite is true. If you just bought season tickets this year, the renewal rate is generally lower, so we're doing a lot of things to focus on what we call rookie season-ticket members."

For example, the Jaguars invited them on the field for a class picture after the Titans' game and held a party for them.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

To extend the life of EverBank Field, Lamping said the city needs to continue to invest in the infrastructure of the stadium that people don't see.

"The best stadiums are the ones that continue to evolve as the needs and desires of the people who attend events at the stadium changes," he said. "Our focus has been investing in those things that improve the game experience and create more revenue."

The club seat project is in that category. The Jaguars plan to put in $20 million upfront, and they have applied for $1 million a year for 15 years from the state sales tax rebate program for sports teams. The plan calls for the state to rebate $7 million each year to the teams, but Lamping said there have been requests for $9 million, so they don't know yet if they'll receive their million-dollar request.

Because they probably won't know if the state will approve their funding request before the spring, the club seat renovation won't be done before the 2016 season. He said it will create outdoor terraces where fans can watch the games and be used for other events such as proms, weddings, charitable fundraisers and business conferences.

Lamping said the Jaguars are still working on a proposal for the Shipyards property they plan to present to the city, though no date has been set yet.

It will include several amenities, such as an exhibition hall, hotel, restaurants, bars and shops. And the Jaguars could occasionally practice at an indoor facility that will be open to the public.

A marina is another possibility. And he'd like to see the Riverwalk extended to the Shipyards.

How the project will be funded will be a key issue.

"If we're able to get the shipyards developed, we think that along with many other things we're doing, it will stabilize the Jaguars here in Jacksonville," Lamping said. "It's good that nobody is talking about relocation anymore, and we don't talk about blackouts. I think that's a positive thing."

http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2014-12-26/story/jaguars-president-mark-lamping-says-local-revenue-despite

I decided to subscribe to TU's digital access. It's only $19.95 a year, which is well worth it IMO with all of the exclusive articles.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Good news, there was a similar article on the Jaguar site, just imagine when the team is winning again.

[copperfiend]

Curious to see if the team makes any changes on the coaching staff. Bradley is safe, probably Babich too. I think Fisch was in an impossible situation with so many rookies across the offense. But he could be a sacrificial lamb. Either way, there have to be some additions made on that side of the ball. The offense was putrid this year.

[InnerCityPressure]

I would be shocked if they made Bortles and the other rookies transition to a new OC in their 2nd year.  I think all the major guys stay...

[spuwho]

Jaguars president Mark Lamping says local revenue is up despite tough year on field

The Jaguars' bottom line is more impressive than their record this season.

As the Jaguars prepare for their final game of the season at Houston on Sunday with a 3-12 record, team president Mark Lamping said that local revenue will be up at least 10 percent this year.

Lamping, who said he will have the exact figures for the annual state of the team presentation in February, said the increase comes from more ticket sales, premium seats such as the cabanas and an increase in sponsorship revenue.

"Local revenue is growing very well," he said. "We've also had some very significant growth on the sponsorship side."

Lamping said it's too early to tell if the increase will move the Jaguars up a few spots from their current position near the bottom of the league in local revenue.

"We don't operate in a vacuum," he said. "All the other teams are working hard to generate revenue as well."

The only team that releases its revenue figures is the Green Bay Packers, who announced they had $324.1 million in total revenue last year.

By contrast, Forbes estimated the Jaguars had $263 million in revenue. The difference is the Packers generated $136.3 million in local revenue, and the Jaguars were in the $75 million range, if the Forbes figures are correct. Lamping declined to reveal exact figures.

Because all teams make similar to the $187.7 million in national revenue the Packers announced, local revenue is the difference between the high revenue and low revenue teams. Forbes estimates the Cowboys lead the league with more than $500 million in revenue.

Lamping is also encouraged that the Jaguars are ranking in the top of the league in the categories of fan experience that the NFL tracks and that several teams — not only in football — are checking out how they've improved the fan experience.

Executives from the Minnesota Vikings were at the Thursday night game against the Titans to see how the Jaguars use their new video boards to connect with the fans.

"What they want to see if how we've been able to change the in-game experience so drastically in such a short amount of time" Lamping said. "I think what it shows is that it says those of us that are fans of the Jaguars and those of us who are fortunate enough to work for the Jaguars, we have something to be proud of. It's a much better atmosphere in the stadium this year than last year.

"The stadium looks better, and it's more conducive to presenting a high quality game experience which is uniquely different than the experience you had if you stayed at home and watched on TV. That's all good. That gets us excited. Just imagine what they'll be feeling if we can actually start winning football games. That's the most important thing we can do to improve our fan experience is to play better."

FOCUS ON REVENUE

Lamping will continue to put a lot of emphasis on ways to generate more local revenue.

"We've made great progress,'' he said, "but we still have a long ways to go."

Lamping said the Jaguars will continue with plans to make additional improvements in the stadium. The next project is a $20 million renovation of the club seats areas that will reduce the number from 11,000 seats to 8,000, but add more amenities.

And they will continue trying to find ways to sell more season tickets.

"In order to have sellouts week after week, the NFL finds that teams have to renew their season tickets at a rate of at least 90 percent and that the season ticket sales account for at least 80 percent of total capacity," Lamping said. "That's not Jacksonville. I don't know the last time Jacksonville had a 90 percent renewal rate. We're always having to sell new tickets to replace the percentage of fans that leave. Some of that is because of the transient nature of this market. One of the reasons is that the military is such an integral part of the community [and active duty personnel tend to get transferred frequently]."

The Jaguars renewed about 83 percent last year, and their season-ticket total of about 45,000 was less than 70 percent of capacity.

In order to increase sales this year, the Jaguars started their renewal program in early December instead of waiting until after the season ended and added more prizes for season-ticket holders, in addition to their Jaguars 365 program that provides year-round benefits.

Among the prizes this year will be Super Bowl tickets, a flat-screen TV, NFL draft trip and suites for Jaguars home games.

Team officials are also placing more emphasis on first-year season-ticket holders.

"Traditionally, the longer you hold season tickets, the more likely you are to renew them," Lamping said. "The opposite is true. If you just bought season tickets this year, the renewal rate is generally lower, so we're doing a lot of things to focus on what we call rookie season-ticket members."

For example, the Jaguars invited them on the field for a class picture after the Titans' game and held a party for them.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

To extend the life of EverBank Field, Lamping said the city needs to continue to invest in the infrastructure of the stadium that people don't see.

"The best stadiums are the ones that continue to evolve as the needs and desires of the people who attend events at the stadium changes," he said. "Our focus has been investing in those things that improve the game experience and create more revenue."

The club seat project is in that category. The Jaguars plan to put in $20 million upfront, and they have applied for $1 million a year for 15 years from the state sales tax rebate program for sports teams. The plan calls for the state to rebate $7 million each year to the teams, but Lamping said there have been requests for $9 million, so they don't know yet if they'll receive their million-dollar request.

Because they probably won't know if the state will approve their funding request before the spring, the club seat renovation won't be done before the 2016 season. He said it will create outdoor terraces where fans can watch the games and be used for other events such as proms, weddings, charitable fundraisers and business conferences.

Lamping said the Jaguars are still working on a proposal for the Shipyards property they plan to present to the city, though no date has been set yet.

It will include several amenities, such as an exhibition hall, hotel, restaurants, bars and shops. And the Jaguars could occasionally practice at an indoor facility that will be open to the public.

A marina is another possibility. And he'd like to see the Riverwalk extended to the Shipyards.

How the project will be funded will be a key issue.

"If we're able to get the shipyards developed, we think that along with many other things we're doing, it will stabilize the Jaguars here in Jacksonville," Lamping said. "It's good that nobody is talking about relocation anymore, and we don't talk about blackouts. I think that's a positive thing."

http://jacksonville.com/sports/football/jaguars/2014-12-26/story/jaguars-president-mark-lamping-says-local-revenue-despite

I decided to subscribe to TU's digital access. It's only $19.95 a year, which is well worth it IMO with all of the exclusive articles.

Lamping knows his stuff on sports management and he speaking to the right areas(revenue).  Real Estate I am not so sure at the moment. Holding out until I see what Shipyards becomes. It's pretty clear the Jags need to improve their non-TV revenue. Green Bay doesn't have the local corporate entities like Jacksonville does, yet does very well. Room for opportunity.